Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United in the race for Mateus Fernandes and there's an ongoing debate about the Portuguese midfielder.
It's the norm for fans to support their club's decision when missing out or choosing not to proceed with a pursuit of a player. United supporters reacted to Fernandes joining Spurs by suggesting their co-owners had been smart.
Fernandes starred for West Ham United last season despite suffering relegation. The 22-year-old looked like a superstar in the making despite playing for a team struggling in the midst of losing their Premier League status.
Man Utd deem Tottenham's Fernandes deal a 'risk'
United seemed to be the most likely destination for Fernandes once the summer transfer window opened. But West Ham insisted on an £85m fee and the Red Devils decided not to match Spurs' bid for the player.
The Lilywhites have paid all the money up front to make him their second most expensive signing in history. He has enormous potential and is set to partner £100m Sandro Tonali in Roberto De Zerbi's new-look midfield.
As for United, they have reacted by signing Chelsea's Andrey Santos for £50m (£48m upfront) and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m. This has been deemed a shrewd piece of business by the Old Trafford faithful.
In fact, United in Focus give an interesting outlook on their club's decision not to rival Spurs for Fernandes. They claimed a move for the Portuguese midfielder 'carried significant risk due to the mammoth fee involved.'
If Fernandes needed any more motivation to prove his worth he need look further at the ongoing debate ensuing between supporters of both clubs. Since United have paid £83m for Santos and Tielemans, the argument is that they have pulled off a masterstroke.
However, in today's market you expect to pay top dollar for the best players and Fernandes is undoubtedly a more exciting aquistion than the Red Devils' new boys. His excellent campaign at the London Stadium inevitably raised high price tag.
Fernandes can prove United wrong
Fernandes has all the tools to not only make an instant impact under De Zerbi but to help guide Spurs to UEFA Champions League qualification. He could very well do so at the expense of United who are still someway off challenging for the title.
If you asked most United fans who they'd rather heading into the window, they'd have probably said Fernandes. There's now an interesting subplot emerging amid a rivalry between the two clubs ahead of a hugely important season for De Zerbi and Michael Carrick.
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